On Saturday, Italy became the first G-7 member and EU heavyweight to become part of the signature foreign policy initiative of Chinese President Xi Jinping, also known as the New Silk Road. Until now, the largest EU member state to have joined China’s Belt and Road Initiative had been Poland. A total of 14 other EU member states, mostly in Eastern Europe, have become part of the BRI. However, Italy’s scope and its status as the first major Western power to do so has sent shockwaves throughout the capitals of its main allies. The United States, the EU, Germany, and Fran